december 2014 happy hopper news
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
December 2014 www.happy-hoppers.com
HAPPY HOPPERS NEWSLETTER
Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all our
Happy Hopper friends. The holiday season is on us
and our family is pleased to be busy with prepara-
tions for Christmas and New Years. We hope this
holiday season is filled with happiness and great
memories for all of you.
One of the best parts of this season is the joy of giv-
ing and to that end the Hoppers have in the past col-
lected donations of unwrapped toys during the De-
cember dances for the Childrens Center. We hope to
continue this and ask that you bring unwrapped toys
to the dances December 6th and 20th.
The Happy Hoppers New Years Eve dance is in the
final stages of preparation and we have a few things
left to get accomplished. We would like to encour-
age you all to look in the kitchen during the dance
and lesson nights for the sign up sheets to make
cookies and help during the set up and clean up for
the New Years Eve dance.
This is the time of year we all want to catch up on
news of friends and families. Just before Thanksgiv-
ing our caller Jim Hattrick had a serious health issue
and was in the hospital. We have all expressed con-
cern and a desire to help in what ways we can. Some
have asked what they can do and others have asked
what the club is doing. I would like to provide an
update on what the club is doing. Since a "Benefit"
dance was already in process for December 21st, the
Hoppers having a second Benefit dance at this time
would not seem to be either necessary or especially
productive. Jim was in the hospital on the 13th and
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
this benefit was set up by the 15th. This is an incredi-
ble example of what kind of community the local
square dancers are. I would encourage all of you to
support the Benefit dances being held for Jim and
Judy Hattrick December 14th at the Hazel Dell
Grange and December 21st at the Milwaukie Com-
munity Center. The Sunday dance December 14th
from 2:30 to 4:30 is a student level dance (originally
set up by Jim) being held at the Hazel Dell Grange,
the callers are Craig Abercrombie and Adam Christ-
man. The Sunday December 21st dance is a main-
stream dance MC'd by Daryl Clendenin and support-
ed by a list of callers and Cuers that has been grow-
ing since it was planned.
The Happy Hopper board met at a special meeting
and in response to a request from a number of Hop-
pers agreed that the club would make a donation to
Jim and Judy. The donation was delivered Tuesday
Morning November 25th to the hospital. It was one
of the most pleasant duties I have performed as the
President. We decided we wanted to also do a benefit
for Jim and we have decided to use the scheduled
January 17th dance as a benefit for Jim and Judy. It
was also requested and agreed that we have the An-
niversary dance set up as a benefit Dance for Jim and
Judy. We will be bringing in guest callers and cuers
to cover the dances while Jim is recovering.
We wish you all the best this holiday season has to
offer.
Jim and Brenda Martinez
WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION by Jean Tolstrup
Well, the suspense is over! Two Hopper members who have generously devoted many years of their time,
energy, and talents were named the 2014 recipients of the Evergreen Council Bob Kendall Award at the
November 29th Evergreen Council dance. Each year the award is given to recognize an individual or couple
who have done an outstanding job of promoting square and round dancing and who exemplify the true spirit
of this great activity: fun, fellowship and friendship.
Congratulations, Randy and Jackie Amundson! And, thank you, for all the support and help you have giv-
en and continue to give our club and square dancing in general. Whenever there is a need to fulfill in our club,
you are there. Whenever a new dancer needs assistance, you are there. Whenever a club member needs a spe-
cial boost due to illness or injury, and you learn about it, you are there.
A special thank you goes to you, Randy, as well as all of the wonderful board members on the Clark County
Square Dancer Center board. Without the efforts and time donated by these generous people, our wonderful
square dance center would cease to exist. So thank you, Randy, for the many years you have selflessly given
of your time and leadership abilities to keep this center available for square dancing.
When the 2013 recipients, Mike and Linda McBride, announced Randy’s and Jackie’s name, the heart-felt
burst of applause and cheering by the many dancers present gave credibility to their selection. It was especial-
ly nice to see the delighted reactions of Randy’s and Jackie’s family members who had been secretly invited
to attend the presentation.
How nice to be able to honor two such giving people!
A wonderful time was had by
all at the Evergreen Council
Dance. Dave and Sharon
Boggs calling and cueing.
Photos by Walt Eby
Kitchen and Door Hosts Needed
Kitchen and door hosts are needed at the Hopper dances. There are no
hosts signed up for any of the upcoming dances beginning with Janu-
ary 17th. Being a host at the dance is fun, it’s easy, you get to meet all
the dancers, you will have time to dance and you get into the dance for
half price, what a deal! Sign up sheets to host are in the kitchen at the
dances and at lessons. You can also call Bev Poland (360) 835-2345.
Thanks!!
Regular Dance
Bring Finger Food
Bring Unwrapped Toy
Hosting: Chases and Polands
Regular Dance
Bring Finger Food
Hosting: Ojas and Israel
Christmas Dance
All Singing Calls
Bring Christmas Goodies
Bring Unwrapped Toy
Hosting: Warnes and Amundsons
Hopper Benefit Dance
for Jim Hattrick
Bring Finger Food
Hosting: ?
PLUS and a LITTLE MORE
Tuesday nights at the Hazel Dell Grange will be postponed for the time being.
UPCOMING DANCES & EVENTS
Dec 1 New Set of Hopper Lessons Begin CCSDC
Dec 6 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC
Bring Finger Food
Bring Unwrapped Christmas Toy
Caller: Richard Lane Cuer: Debbie Combs
Dec 14 New Dancer B-51 Benefit Dance for Jim Hattrick Hazel Dell Grange
Caller/Cuer: Craig Abercrombie
and Adam Christman 2:30-4:30
Dec 20 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC
Bring Christmas Goodies
Bring Unwrapped Christmas Toy
Caller: Craig Abercrombie
Dec 21 Benefit Dance for Jim Hattrick Milwaukie
Several Area Callers and Cuers Community Center
1:00-5:00 42nd & Jackson
Dec 31 New Year’s Eve Dance CCSDC
Craig Abercrombie and Adam Christman
7:30 Buffet, 8:30 Dancing
Jan 3 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC
Bring Finger Food
Jan 5 New Set of Hopper Lessons Begin CCSDC
Jan 17 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC
Benefit for Jim Hattrick
Bring Finger Food
Jan 23-25 Mid Winter Festival Albany, OR
“Dance, Dance, Dance”
A Night in Venice
New Year’s Eve Dance
Come to one of the best Happy Hopper Club dances we have during
the year. Celebrate the New Year in style with your dancing friends.
Great dance music and calling by Craig Abercrombie
and Adam Christman.
Tickets are $15.00 per person until 12/25/14, and then
the price goes up to $20.00 per person. Tickets are avail-
able through the flyer, or from Randy, Melody, Jean and
Rex.
Buffet is from 7:30 to 8:30 PM, followed by Round and
Square Dancing.
Our theme is “A Night in Venice”, so expect a delicious
Italian buffet, beautiful decorations for the hall, and a
toast to the New Year at midnight.
Bring your cameras to capture the moment, or take ad-
vantage of our photo shoot setting. All attire is welcome
for this evening of fun.
Just the Facts:
The dance committee is grateful to those of you who have signed up to help in the
kitchen or at the door, and to those who have offered to bring some food items. We
still need some help from our Hopper members to help us make the evening run
smoothly and have a full table of goodies. Please check out the sign up sheets to
see how you can help. Thank you.
Fay Kahn
SQUARE DANCE DRESS CODES by Liza Halpenny
The following definitions describe the types of square dance attire that have developed over the years to be
the norm.
Adapted from Callerlab position paper, Dec. 1999
TRADITIONAL: This is the standard for Dances and required at most Festivals
For all Clean comfortable clothing and safe footwear
For Women Square dance skirts or dresses or prairie skirts
For Men Long sleeved dress or long sleeved western shirts
PROPER: If an event is advertised as Proper, Traditional is also appropriate.
For all Dress slacks and dress jeans for men and women.
For Men Short sleeved dress shirts are permitted.
CASUAL: For special conditions caused by weather, travel or timing. If an event is advertised
as casual, Proper or Traditional is also appropriate.
For all Clean, comfortable clothing, including shorts, tee shirts, “golf shirts”, etc.
“Traditional” and “Proper” attire are still the norm at Hopper and other square dance events. However, in re-
cent years standards have relaxed somewhat to be more inclusive and welcoming. The dress code might bet-
ter be described now as “Square dance attire admired, but not required.” Wearing traditional square dance
attire is definitely part of the fun for many dancers, and it sets apart square dance from other dance forms.
But if kerchiefs and petticoats are not for you, don’t worry. It is more important that you are out on the dance
floor having fun with your friends.
DRESSING WITH CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS
Many people's arms become moist when they dance. Wearing long sleeves is encouraged to show considera-
tion to fellow dancers. And the wholesome nature of square dance suggests outfits that are “family friendly”
and not too revealing. You can never go wrong with “clean and tidy.”
HAPPY HOPPERS CLUB OUTFIT
Though it is not used much any more, and it is not mandatory, there is an official Happy Hoppers club outfit.
The look is Royal Blue and White. For women the outfit is a white skirt of your choice and a royal blue
blouse of your choice with a royal blue petticoat. Men may wear black or navy blue slacks with either a royal
blue shirt with a white tie or white shirt with a royal blue tie. A further option is a white shirt with a royal blue
yoke.
Examples of when the club outfit might be worn would be at official club visitations, or at our anniversary
dance, or when representing the club at a function such as Mid-Winter Festival Grand Parade.
Changes to the OFN and Footnotes Publications by Marc Kahn
The Happy Hoppers are geographically located such that we are part of both the Oregon and Washington state
square dance federations. We are active in both worlds. A few months ago, I volunteered to be the liaison
between our club and the monthly publications for each of the federations: "Oregon Federation News" (OFN)
and "Footnotes".
These are troubling times for the publishers of hard-copy periodicals, who rely on subscriptions and advertis-
ing to pay the bills. Newspapers and magazines are finding that their previous business models are no longer
viable in our modern on-line world.
Recently, at about the same time, both the OFN and Footnotes realized that, with dwindling circulation num-
bers and subscription revenue, something has to change. Independently, the federation leaderships got togeth-
er and came up with drastically different solutions to their common problem.
The Washington state group has decided to promote a change to the dues structure for all members in order to
finance the continued publication of the hard-copy Footnotes magazine. Every member of every club in the
federation (including us Hoppers) will be asked in December to vote on an increase in the dues per person of
$8.00 per year. In return for that increase, each household will receive a copy of the Footnotes magazine eve-
ry month. Last month, every Hopper should have received a copy of Footnotes where this proposed change
was explained on page 1.
The Oregon state group has decided to abandon the publication of OFN in a hard-copy format, replacing it
with an on-line version. The upcoming January edition will be the final edition to be physically printed. Sub-
scribers and advertisers who have pre-paid for the OFN will be reimbursed for the unused portions of their
payments. The online version has already started with a trial/demonstration November issue followed by a
more robust December issue. You can have a look at those issues and all future issues at the OFN web page:
http://www.squaredance.gen.or.us/ofn/ .